This is our review of Not Drunk But Disorderly at Liverpool‘s Bombed Out Church. Now, this is the first show of Little LTF 2022, the new works element of Liverpool Theatre Festival. So, let’s take a look at Not Drunk But Disorderly!
Synopsis Of Not Drunk But Disorderly
Welcome to Newpool, a small town where everybody knows everybody else. And everybody also knows Howard and Geoffrey, two police officers for whom incompetency is a generous description. And yet they hold responsibility for maintaining law and order. Still, their job isn’t massively strenuous so long as none of the crimes is particularly serious.
Therefore, it’s a challenge to their work ethic and general intelligence when a murder takes place. Who could have performed such a horrific act? And to make matters worse, they also manage to lose the body! Cue a crisis as Howard and Geoffrey have to discover who is responsible within Newpool. And because Big Boss and Bigger Boss are on their trail, their jobs are suddenly at stake. Can the hapless duo solve the mysteries, or will they become Old News in Newpool?
Analysis Of Not Drunk But Disorderly
I loved this show. The concept is easy to understand, yet there are numerous twists and turns throughout the plot. That’s partly because Megan Hindley and Beth Amos play numerous characters. So, we meet Tracey, Mr Murray, Big Boss, Bigger Boss, Cheryl, Ruby and Finley. Shifts in lighting and the use of poetry and music help to define the differences between each persona. But in such a quiet town, the common thread between them all is that daft shenanigans are the norm.
And there are plenty of hilarious comedy capers on show here. The use of video footage to show what the coppers got up to on the night of the murder was both clever and creative. Not to mention the inside jokes that we get about life as a police officer, and about theatre in general. The title is appropriate because the central characters have good intentions. They’re just a bit, how shall I put it, dopey! This ensures that we, the audience, are always on their side, with their collective silliness adding warmth and heart.
Performances
I have to point out that Megan Hindley and Beth Amos both perform to an exceptional standard. Not only are they co-creators, but they play every character, sometimes simultaneously, and they’re on stage from start to finish. The amount of effort that they put in is incredible, not to mention how they remember so many lines. Yet they also have the ability to ad-lib, with a perfect example coming near the beginning. As chance would have it, a police car drove past the church during the show. And their minor panic in response to the blaring siren was priceless.
Yet it’s their one-liners and their willingness to send each other up that have the biggest impact. The audience was howling at so many simple yet ridiculous moments. This includes Tracey wondering aloud how her home could truly be home after her husband left her. Not forgetting Finley’s shifty eye expressions while under interrogation. And then you get the hilarious facial expressions. Both generated strong laughs just from sharp tilts of the head and the subtle mouthing of swearwords. When a duo demonstrates this level of comedic talent, you know that the show as a whole is a treat.
Summary Of Not Drunk But Disorderly
Little LTF’s purpose is to showcase works that are either brand-new or previously unseen on a major level. And the very best shows from the festival are highly likely to receive further airings at other major Liverpool venues. With that in mind, I absolutely want to see this show again because it’s an hour of big laughs and light humour. Megan and Beth are tremendous, and they’ve created a show that I would recommend to just about anybody. So, in closing, this was a terrific way to kick-off Little LTF. Furthermore, it sets a high bar that may be difficult for other productions to surpass this week.
Notes
Target Audience: Ages 18+
Content: Frequent Strong Language
Recommendation?: Yes
